It is springtime in the Mohave Desert here in Southwest Arizona. We have been hanging out and enjoying the warm weather and flowering desert for the past two weeks. We are currently in Lake Havasu City again for the third time this season. The difference this time is the Snow Birds are migrating north and the college kids are whooping it up on spring break. There is a steady stream of big, expensive, high powered boats roaring in front of our camp. At least some of these boats take high octane racing fuel. The service stations serve it up for $7.50 a gallon. What recession?

We just came from a week long set of classes at the Escapee’s North Ranch near Wickenburg, AZ. Gary took classes in wood carving and Judy took classes in Hardanger. I have learned how to sharpen knives and gouges. I learned that real wood carvers don’t “whittle.” That is way too crude. I managed to carve a gnome out of a piece of Texas Red Cedar. I didn’t cut myself even once.

Judy found a new fabric art form to learn. It is a style of Norwegian embroidery called Hardanger. I guess it originated in the Hardanger fjord of southwestern Norway. It apparently has its roots in Persia and Venetian Lace. Judy decided this was a better fit than the beading or wood burning classes that many of the others took while the carvers carved.

This is quite an event. It was reported that nearly a hundred carvers were in attendance. There were many different classes offered. I took the one for beginners, of course. Other classes created Indian flutes, carved elaborate figures of wizards and stuff in Cypress Knees from Louisiana. Relief carving and chip carving were also very popular. In relief carving you carve a flower or scene in relief out of a flat panel of wood. Chip carving creates geometric designs, usually by carving triangular chips of wood out of the wood panel. Our friend, Ray Derrick, taught bird carving and his group carved a Northern Cardinal complete with realistic color, wood burned feathers, eyes and legs.

We are nearing the end of our travels here in Arizona. Next week we too will follow the Snow Bird migration and start working our way back to Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.

We wish to you all a very glorious Easter.

He has risen indeed!

Gary and Judy